Famed explorer Christopher Columbus knew his islands. He was the first European to establish colonies in the Caribbean, and when Columbus called an island in the region “beautiful,” the world took note.

One of the territories he hailed for its beauty is now known as the Dominican Republic, a country that, 519 years later, is still attracting visitors who marvel at its spectacular natural appeal.

Unforgettable beaches, lush inland landscapes, inviting waters and a colourful culture attract more than four million visitors each year, according to the government of the country commonly known as the DR.

For Canadians, it’s the fourth most popular international destination, notes Statistics Canada; 876,000 Canadians visited the DR in 2009 (the most recent year for which stats are available), an 113,000-person increase from the previous year.

As the second largest country in the Caribbean after Cuba, the DR occupies two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, with Haiti comprising the other one-third.

The DR also has the second largest economy in the Caribbean and Central America. Sugar once dominated the country, but the economy is now driven by services, including telecommunication centres, and tourism, which creates one in seven jobs.

Another statistic in which the DR ranks number two is baseball. Despite its relatively small population (10 million), the DR produces the second most number of players in Major League Baseball, after the United States.

The DR is a land of superlatives. It is home to the Caribbean’s largest lake, Lake Enriquillo, as well as the lowest elevation and highest mountain, Pico Duarte.

The country also can claim several important firsts. The capital city of Santo Domingo was the home of the first cathedral, first street, first castle and first university in the Americas. Santo Domingo was the first permanent European settlement in the New World, which eventually led UNESCO to declare the city’s Ciudad Colonial area a World Heritage site.

This history, along with influences from Europe, Africa and native Indian traditions, have combined to create a vivid culture notable for dance, food, music and a passion for life.

It also remains one of the Caribbean countries that still has many affordable offerings for tourists, providing a myriad of accommodation and dining choices, whether a visitor is on a student budget or on a luxurious splurge.

Here are four areas of the DR most often visited by tourists.

Punta Cana

Punta Cana, on the eastern edge of the DR, became one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean for good reason: it has incredible beaches. Turquoise waters, white sand and tall palm trees are hallmarks along the shoreline.

To accommodate visitors, the area has an enviable selection of all-inclusive resorts. More than 35,000 hotel rooms are found here, including many along the beautiful beaches of Bavaro.

Visitors find an abundance of restaurants, spas, nightlife and activities in the Punta Cana area. Options include learning to paddle board, going on a jeep safari. deep-sea fishing or refining your golf game.

The Punta Espada course in Cap Cana has been named the best golf course in the Caribbean by Golfweek magazine. Overall, the DR is the No. 1 golf destination in the Caribbean and Latin America, according to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators.

Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata, on the north coast of the DR, readily fulfils Canadians’ wish for a little winter sunshine and beach time, with silky soft sand and waves lapping along miles of beach. Playa Grande, lined with leafy green palms, is a popular beach choice, as is Playa Dorada just outside the city.

With so many beach areas, surfing has become a common pursuit, especially windsurfing, kitesurfing and wakeboarding.

When the sun sets, there’s plenty of nightlife, bars, discos and cigar sampling to fill the hours.

Not to be missed is a dizzying cable car ride, a tour of the local rum factory and a visit to the amber museum showcasing fossils encased in DR amber that is millions of years old.

La Romana

About a 90-minute drive from the city of Santo Domingo you can find La Romana.

Once a centre for the sugar industry, La Romana (on the southeast coast) is now a centre for paradise-seekers and golfers.

Visitors often decide to check out the legendary resort Casa de Campo, which is home to two 18-hole golf courses.

A newer international airport built in Samana has opened up this little Shangri-La to larger numbers of tourists. It remains less crowded than other destinations, however, making Samana a bit of a hidden gem in the DR.

The Peninsula de Samana, in the country’s northeast, is a long finger of land, 40 kilometres by 15 km, and is home to lovely coves, secluded beaches and gentle swimming areas.

One of the most noteworthy attractions at Samana is the whales. Between 3,000 and 5,000 humpbacks migrate into the bay here each January and stay for a couple of months to give birth and begin mating to conceive the next year’s calves.

A national park featuring rainforest vegetation, mangroves and waterfalls provides ideal opportunities to hike, mountain bike or go for a horseback ride.

Fun facts about the Dominican Republic

• National dance: Meringue

• Favourite sport: Baseball

• Number of children who play organized baseball: 800,000-plus.

• Famous baseball players born or raised in the DR: Pedro Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Juan Marichal and Sammy Sosa.

• Famous fashion designer: Oscar de la Renta was born in Santo Domingo in 1932.

• Film: Hollywood movies that have shot some or all scenes in the DR include Godfather II, Apocalypse Now, Rambo II and the Good Shepherd, starring Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon.

• Food: The country is well-known for the dish called La Bandera (the flag), made with meat, rice and red beans, and often served with fried plantains known as tostones.

• Awards: A few of the 2010 travel honours the DR received included best value destination by Budget Travel Readers Choice Awards, while Peninsula House in Samana was named most luxurious place in Caribbean by Conde Nast Traveler. The resort Excellence Punta Cana made USA Today’s list for 10 great resorts for warm-weather escapes and Santo Domingo received cultural capital award from the American Capital of Culture.

- General info on the Dominican Republic is at godominicanrepublic.com. WestJet Vacation packages to the Dominican Republic and other sun destinations purchased before Sept. 30 have a “lowest price guarantee.” See westjetvacations.com for details.

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